The announcement of Canada's first National Housing Strategy was announced by Justin Trudeau on November 22, 2017, which promises $40 billion of investment in affordable homes.

Prime Minister Trudeau said, “We need to change our approach to housing and stop thinking about housing as a problem. Housing is actually a solution. It’s the best tool we have for some really significant challenges, whether that’s for health, crime, climate change, unemployment, or reconciliation... Affordable housing has made all the difference for folks from all walks of life. But in recent decades, our housing stock has aged and the federal government’s role has diminished.”

This strategy is making housing a priority and the $40 Billion investment, spread over a 10-year period, will be funded jointly by the federal, provincial and territorial governments. It addresses a large range of challenges and covers the entire housing continuum.

With this joint investment, there are targets that this strategy hopes to attain which include 100,000 new housing units created, 300,000 existing units repaired and renewed, 300,000 households supported through the Canada Housing Benefit amongst others seen below.

For all of your real estate needs, contact Amalia Liapis at 604-618-7000 or alternatively, at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca.

The British Columbia government is reviewing the foreign buyers’ tax in the Vancouver area and the interest-free loan program to first-time homebuyers to determine whether they have helped improve affordability, BC's new housing minister says. A year ago, the Liberal government implemented a 15% tax on foreign nationals purchasing property in Metro Vancouver in an effort to cool skyrocketing house prices. This tax isn’t applied to commercial properties, only residential properties.

Selina Robinson and BC Finance Minister, Carole James, will review real estate transaction data to determine whether the 15% foreign tax should be kept, revised or scrapped altogether. The data will be analyzed in order to determine whether it has been beneficial in housing affordability.

“I don’t know that we have any plans to eliminate it,” Robinson said of the 15 per cent foreign buyers’ levy, nearly a year after the previous Liberal government introduced it for Metro Vancouver. “There’s certainly enough data that would help us to understand its value, and so, we have to look at that data.”

According to data from the B.C. Ministry of Finance, during the period of June 10 - August 1, 2016, 13.2% of all property transfer transactions in Metro Vancouver were involving foreign buyers. Once the foreign tax took effect, that figure fell to 2.6% during the period of August 2 - December 31, 2016. Figures recently released revealed that the government took in $102 million in revenue from the implementation of the foreign buyers' tax between August 2, 2016 to March 31, 2017.

In the months after the tax, there were signs of cooling in Vancouver’s housing market, with the number of transactions falling. However, there have been signs that the market may be rebounding, as prices continue to creep up. The Multiple Listing Service composite benchmark price for all properties in Metro Vancouver was $998,700 in June, an increase of 7.9% from the same month last year.

For all your real estate needs, contact Amalia Liapis at 604-618-7000 or alternatively at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca.

The Commercial Leading Index (CLI) provides insight on early signals of turning points between expansions and slowdowns in commercial real estate. The BCREA CLI "forecasts changes in broad commercial real estate activity. [Their] research shows that the variables that compose the CLI reliably forecast BC commercial real estate activity at a lag of two to four quarters. The index is revised each quarter, due to revisions in the underlying data".

For the fifth consecutive quarter, the CLI has seen another rise in index points of 0.5 from the 2016 Q4 to 2017 Q1. The index is now 128.0 which is a 4% increase from a year ago and a 0.4% increase on a quarterly basis. The economic activity and employment components of the CLI have been contributing factors to the economic and employment growth in the province and BC has been continually leading all provinces in this type of growth. There are indications of further growth in investment, leasing and other commercial real estate over the next two to four quarters as signaled by the CLI trend.

The increase in the CLI is reflective of the economic growth in BC with its real GDP growth exceeding 3%, which is the second time this has occurred in the past 37 years. This can be attributable to key commercial sectors such as retail and wholesale trade along with the increase in manufacturing sales. As for employment, 2016 ended on a high note with an increase of over 3% in employment which has trickled into 2017.

For all your commercial and residential real estate needs, contact Amalia Liapis at 604-618-7000 or alternatively at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca.

We'll uncover some helpful tips that will help any entrepreneur in their real estate acquisition process. Acquiring real estate may be costly but a worthwhile long-term investment, provided that the business owner exercises their due diligence and executes a proper plan of action. A benefit of acquiring real property is that it will most likely appreciate in value. Unlike renting, you can deduct the cost of a depreciable property over its useful life as a yearly deduction for corporate taxes as a Capital Cost Allowance.

Tips for Success

1. Understand the local real estate marketFirstly, choosing the right location for your business is vital. Find a space that would adapt to your business needs and is in a prime location with demographics that fit your target market. Having an understanding of zoning and environmental regulations is another important success factor.

2.Seek advice from an independent commercial real estate agentLuckily for you, you don't have to look any further. Our boutique firm is experienced in commercial real estate and we are always available to help you along with the purchasing process.

3. Consult an accountantAccountants can help you with the tax implications of the acquisition of real property. They can also advise on ways to minimize taxes and get the most out of your purchase.

4. Obtain approval for financingIn order to obtain approval, bankers / lenders will want to see financial statements, past and projected cash flows etc. You should shop around for the best financing package available that meets your needs. Note that while the interest rate is important, you should look into other factors as well. Such factors include repayment terms, fee structures, financing requirements etc.

5. Choose the right contractors and business professionalsIt's important to have contractors and business professionals with experience, are highly reputable and are responsive to your needs. We can get you in contact with business professionals we have worked with in the past and who have a wealth of knowledge and experience.

For all your real estate needs, contact Amalia Liapis at 604-618-7000 or at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca or Kane Ryan at 778-223-5961 or at kane@wesellvancouver.ca.

Grab a hold of this opportunity to invest in the revitalization of Chinatown. We have 4 great commercial units left with prices to match. Contact Amalia Liapis at 604-618-7000 or Kane Ryan at 778-223-5961 for more details!

Investment in commercial real estate is a great way to enhance the value of your portfolio. Take a hold of this rare opportunity to OWN waterfront commercial space along Beach Avenue! Contact Kris Hall today at info@wesellvancouver.ca or alternatively at 604-716-6155 for additional information on this listing.

Christmas may be over but the season for giving isn't and we're feeling generous this year. We're giving you the wonderful opportunity to invest in a revitalization movement within Chinatown. Don't just be a spectator in this movement, actively participate in it. There are opportunities to invest in both commercial and residential units here at Sequel 138!

We only have 5 commercial units available at unbeatable prices. Want retail space with a downtown feel without the hefty price tag to match? Look no further. Sequel 138 is centrally located in the epicentre of Chinatown, Gastown, Railtown and Downtown Vancouver, making it convenient to access. This is an opportunity you do not want to miss out on. What better way to end off the year than with an investment that will add great value to your portfolio!

For all your real estate needs, contact Amalia Liapis at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca or alternatively at 604-618-7000.

With the booming real estate market in Vancouver, it is no doubt that prices have appreciated due to the high demand. What's interesting is the asymmetrical price appreciation seen in the housing market. More expensive properties are seeing prices rise at a faster rate than those of their less expensive counterparts. Price gaps seen between houses, condominiums and detached homes are beginning to widen with Vancouver leading the biggest home price gap increases within Canada. This could be the result of foreign investment activity in Vancouver, especially within the luxury market segment. Housing priced in the higher end of the spectrum are more vulnerable to price adjustments.

The asymmetrical price appreciation has been evident in Vancouver for the past ten years which is predominantly caused by the rapid price increase of luxury homes. Housing prices have seen an overall increase, however, luxury home prices are leading the pack with the rate of increase nearly quadrupling the rates of those in the lower end of the spectrum. Homeowners within the move up market are primarily affected by this asymmetry. This phenomenon is limiting the ability for homeowners to "move up" into a bigger home and is even affecting first-time homeowners as well.

As a result of the inability to move up, homeowners are beginning to invest more in renovations as it is seen to be a more cost effective measure. Stay tuned for our next blog which tackles the issue of how to renovate your home while remaining on budget. For all your real estate needs, contact Amalia Liapis at amalia@wesellvancouver.ca or alternatively at 604-618-7000.

Don't let the stress of managing your rental property consume you! Let our property management division do all the heavy lifting for you while you reap the benefits. Whether you are an off-shore owner with a luxury fully furnished waterfront condo or a local owner with a single or multi-unit investment property, the team at WeRentVancouver can help. With many years of experience, our licensed property managers strive to make your investment as profitable as possible by offering a full range of property management services that meet your every need.

We understand your time is valuable and so our goal is to simply do the leg work for you, allowing you to make maximum profit from your investments, hassle-free. Let your property go to work for you, contact us today at 604-801-6654 or at info@werentvancouver.ca. For more information about how we can help you make the most of your rental property, check out our website at werentvancouver.ca - we look forward to hearing from you!

As a collective whole, Canadians are united in their definition of home. A recent survey done by Century 21 reveals the top 10 ways Canadians define home which is seen below. The question posed was, "In about five describing words or less, what does "home" mean to you?". The major themes that came up had a lot to do with family, comfort and safety. The personal value of a home is deeply rooted in Canadian culture and the personal definition of home is one that resonates with most Canadians.

British Columbians are the only province to include a social aspect to their definition of home by including "friend" in their top 10. The only region to list a practical term, "investment", in their top 10 was Quebec. Lastly, Ontario residents take the cake for being most creative with nearly 90 different definitions of home. Some humorous definitions of home included: escape from people, sweatpants, kitty, no strata fees and awesome. At the end of the day, regardless of where you habituate, home is where the heart is.